Kasia Smutniak’s Casting As Mary In The Resurrection Of The Christ Sparks Controversy

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The choice of Kasia Smutniak to play Mary in Mel Gibson’s upcoming film, The Resurrection of the Christ, is causing a lot of criticism online. While Maia Morgenstern portrayed Mary in The Passion of the Christ (2004), she will not reprise the role in the sequel.

According to Variety, the choice of Kasia Smutniak to play Mary in Mel Gibson’s upcoming film, The Resurrection of the Christ, has caused an uproar among conservative Catholic groups in Poland. These groups are protesting Smutniak’s involvement because of her public support for abortion rights. Polish news outlets report that supporters of the Law and Justice party, a conservative pro-life group, have sent letters to Icon Productions, Gibson’s production company, to express their objections.

The correspondence suggests the actresses’ participation in the Women’s Strike movement, known for its red lightning bolt symbol and large-scale protests against Poland’s strict abortion laws. When asked about this by Variety, Alan Nierob, Gibson’s representative, stated he had no knowledge of any such protests. Smutniak’s agent did not offer a comment.

A few Polish critics who disagreed with the choice of Smutniak as an actress have been using X (formerly Twitter) to try and gain support from conservative commentators in the U.S., like Candace Owens. For example, user @Ulalala79616 posted the following:

Kasia Smutniak was born in Poland but now lives and works in Italy, where she’s acted in more than 40 movies and TV series, including Devils and Domina. In 2023, she directed her first film, the documentary Walls. This personal film explores her homeland of Poland and critiques the border wall built by the government to prevent migrants from crossing into the country.

Filming for The Resurrection of the Christ began in early October 2025 with a completely new cast. Jaakko Ohtonen (known for The Last Kingdom) will now play Jesus, taking over from Jim Caviezel. Mariela Garriga will play Mary Magdalene, a role previously held by Monica Bellucci, and Smutniak will replace Maia Morgenstern as Mary.

Jim Caviezel, famous for his role in The Passion of the Christ, is a devout Catholic with strong anti-abortion views. Monica Bellucci, on the other hand, has openly supported a woman’s right to choose and has criticized abortion bans as morally wrong. Therefore, Mel Gibson choosing an actress who supports abortion rights isn’t surprising, despite his own conservative beliefs and opposition to both abortion and contraception.

The first part of The Resurrection of the Christ is planned to be released on March 26, 2027, with the second part following on May 6, 2027.

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2025-10-28 21:08